You've come across so much about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. A text message arrives providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no need to go through official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they could contain “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the total sum lost to scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or logos.
The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
